Plastic covered molded egg carton

ABSTRACT

An egg carton having a pocketed molded paper pulp lower carton body portion and a transparent plastic or synthetic resinous material cover portion is disclosed herein. The lower body portion and cover portion are hingedly connected by the provision of an elongate terminal rib or bead integrally molded on the extremity of one side of the lower body portion and a plurality of channeled projections integrally molded on one side of the cover portion and partially encompassing the elongate rib or bead for pivotal movement thereon. The body portion and cover portion are latched together by an elongate integrally molded grooved projection on the body portion cooperating with a rib or bead terminating a further side of the cover portion to be snapped into the groove of the grooved projection and on the opposite side of the carton from the hinged connection of the body and cover portions.

United States Patent Inventor Heinz Ahlmeyer Pearl River, N.Y.

Appl. No. 774,959

Filed Nov. 12, 1968 Patented Mar. 9, 1971 Assignee Continental Can Company, Inc.

New York, N.Y.

PLASTIC COVERED MOLDED EGG CARTON 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 229/44, 206/45, 206/34, 220/31, 229/2.5 Int. Cl. 865d 5/66, B65d 1/00, B65d 25/00 Field of Search 220/31 (S), (R); 229/2.5, 29 (M), 44, 45; 206/4534 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,797,840 7/1957 Gibbs 220/31(S.R.) 3,258,186 6/1966 Greatman. 229/2.5 6/1966 Greatman 229/2.5

3,295,714 l/l967 DiAddario 220/3 1 (SR) 3,298,594 1/1967 Makowski et al.. 229/4.5 3,341,271 9/1967 Nelson 220/3 I(S.R) 3,346,171 10/1967 Baker 229/2.5X

' Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead Attorney-Diner, Brown, Ramik and Holt ABSTRACT; An egg canon having a pocketed molded paper pulp lower carton body portion and a transparentplastic or synthetic resinous material cover portion is disclosed herein. The lower body portion and cover portion are hingedly connected by the provision of an elongate terminal rib or bead integrally molded on the extremity of one side of the lower body portion and a plurality of channeled projections integrally molded on one side of the cover portion and partially encompassing the elongate rib or bead for pivotal movement thereon. The body portion and cover portion are latched together by an elongate integrally molded grooved projection on the body portion cooperating with a rib or bead terminating a furtherside of the cover portion to be snapped into the groove of the grooved projection and on the opposite side of the carton from the hinged connection of the body and cover portions.

PATENTED MAR 9 I9?! INVENTOR HFJNZ AHLMEYER ATTORNEYS PLASTIG COVERED MOLDED EGG CARTON In the past, egg cartons of molded paper pulp having egg or article accommodating pockets formed therein have been provided. However, such previously known cartons commonly failed to provide an attractive appearance desirable in the marketing of the contained product and, additionally, such previously known cartons commonly were discarded immediately upon purchase by the consumer without further employment during the day-by-day removal and consumption of the packaged items.

In accordance with the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide a carton of improved appearance and commercial appeal having an upper cover portion of molded synthetic resinous or plastic material combined with a pocketed article or egg accommodating lower body portion.

Additionally, it is an object of this invention to provide a carton having a lower body portion pocketed for the accommodation of enclosed articles and a cover portion pivotally connected with lower portion and reclosable into latched engagement with the lower portion for repeated opening and closing by the consumer.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved two-piece cartons having integrally molded hinge and latch arrangements.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a carton having a pocketed, molded paper pulp article accommodating portion and a plastic or synthetic resinous cover portion, the two-portions having integrally molded cooperating hinge and latch members thereon.

A still further object of thisinvention is to provide a carton having a transparent cover portion for the inspection of arti cles contained therein and associated with a molded paper pulp body portion hingedly connected with the cover portion for opening of the carton and closable by latching of the two portions.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a novel carton constructed in accordance with this invention and shows a lower molded paper pulp article accommodating body portion with pockets integrally formed therein for accommodating eggs or further articles and a transparent cover portion of plastic or synthetic resinous material hingedly connected with the pocketed body portion.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and illustrates integrally formed hinge and latch members on both the body and cover portions of the carton according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and shows the relationship of the integral hinge provisions on both the body and cover portions with the cover portion in both closed and opened relationship with the pocketed molded paper pulp carton body portion.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, a novel egg carton, generally referenced by the numeral is illustrated in FIG. 1 and includes a carton body or carton body portion 11 molded of paper pulp material in a fashion conventional in the art. The carton body portion 11 includes a plurality of egg or article accommodating pockets 12 defined by generally upstanding sidewalls 13 and 14, end walls 15 and 16, a bottom wall 17 defined by a plurality of individual bottom wall portions 18, and a plurality of article separating divider wall portions 20.

The plurality of separate bottom wall portions 18, best seen in FIG. 2, includes integrally molded central article engaging portions 21 molded in conformity with the exterior lowermost surface of a plurality of eggs 22 enclosed within the carton 10. While the carton l0 disclosed and discussed herein is shown adapted especially for the packaging of eggs, it should be noted that the carton provisions discussed herein may be adapted for the housing of any of a number of diverse articles 5 jections 23 extend to the uppermost level of the housed articles or eggs 22 providing central support for a cover or cover portion, generally referenced by the numeral 25, extending across the width and length of the pocketed body portion 11. The cover or cover portion 25 is of transparent plastic or synthetic resinous material and includes a central expanse or panel 26 overlying the plurality of enclosed articles or eggs 22. Two downwardly depending sides or side panels 27, 28 engage the uppermost terminal portions of the body sidewalls 13 and 14 and a pair of downwardly depending end panels 30, 31 en gage the uppermost terminal portions of the body end walls 15 and 16 for complete closure of the canton 10.

The carton body sidewall 14 terminates at its uppermost extremity in an outwardly flanged portion 33 having thereon an integrally molded elongate bead or rib 34, extending substantially the length of the carton body portion 11. A plurality of integrally molded projections 35 extend outwardly from the side panel 28 of the cover portion 25 and define therethrough a plurality of longitudinally extending channels 36 conforming to the exterior surface of the elongate rib 34 on the carton body portion 11. The channels 36 are defined at the lowermost side thereof by finger portion 11. The channels 36 are defined at the lowermost side thereof by finger portions 37 of the integrally molded projections 35, the finger portions 37 lying in a plane lower than a lowermost edge 38 of the downwardly depending cover side panel 28 to grip the undersurface of the rib or bead 34 whereby the rib 34 is partially encompassed by the channel 36.

The elongate rib or bead 34, the projections 35 and their channels 36, then, define hinge means interconnecting the body portion 11 and cover portion 25 for relative pivotal movement therebetween in the opening of the carton 10 as best illustrated in FIG. 3. It will be noted that the partially cylindrical exterior surface of the rib or bead 34 and the partially cylindrical interior surface of the channels 36 allow rotational sliding movement of the interior surface of the channels 36 upon the rib or bead 34 without marked deterioration of the paper pulp material from which the head 34 is integrally molded, allowing a number of opening and reclosing operations by the consumer during the day-'by-day employment of the enclosed articles or product.

On the uppermost extremity of the carton body sidewall 13 opposite the hinge means discussed hereinabove, there is pro vided an integrally molded elongate projection 40, grooved along the length thereof to provide a latching groove 41 opening toward the interior of the carton 10. A further elongate bead 42 is integrally molded upon the lowermost portion of the side panel 27 of the cover portion 25 for cooperation with the groove 41 to latch together the cover and body portions of the carton 10, maintaining the carton closed between each opening thereof. The bead 42, the projection 40 and its groove 41, then, provide latching means adapted to be snapped into engagement by slight'deformation of the interengaging portions each time the carton 10 is closed.

The novel hinge and latch provisions discussed hereinabove provide a relatively inexpensive way in which to form a carton of two materials, allowing the employment of an attractive plastic or synthetic resinous upper portion which may conveniently be made transparent, while employing a lowermost carton body portion of molded paper pulp material, more suitable for the formation of item accommodating pockets therein and separation of the enclosed articles.

While preferred structure and arrangements of the carton discussed hereinabove have been disclosed, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that variations in such structure and arrangements may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention embodied herein.

lclaim:

1. A carton comprising a body constructed from molded paper pulp, said body including a pair of opposite end and sidewalls, one of said sidewalls having a radially outwardly directed flange terminating in an enlarged bead of a generally circular cross section, said bead being spaced from said one sidewall by said radially outwardly directed flange, a cover constructed from transparent synthetic resinous material, said cover including a pair of opposite end and sidewalls, one of said sidewalls terminating in a free edge overlying said radially outwardly directed flange, a plurality of integrally molded outwardly directed projections carried by said one cover sidewall, said projections being disposed along said bead in spaced relationship to each other, each projection including a channel corresponding in shape to the generally circular cross section of said bead and rotationally receiving said bead for relative pivotal movement of said cover and carton body between open and closed positions, and each projection further including a finger portion projecting inwardly toward said one carton body sidewall beneath said flange and terminating short thereof when said cover is in said closed position thereby limiting the opening movement of said cover to a position at which said finger portion contacts the underside of said flange.

2. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein the closed position of said cover is limited by contact between an upper surface of said flange and said free edge of said one carton body sidewall.

3. The carton body as defined in claim 1 including means defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely adjacent article-receiving pockets in said carton body, and each projection is positioned in transverse alignment with a space between longitudinally adjacent pockets.

4. The carton body as defined in claim 2 including means defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely adjacent article-receiving pockets in said carton body, and each projection is positioned in transverse alignment with a space between longitudinally adjacent pockets. 

1. A carton comprising a body constructed from molded paper pulp, said body including a pair of opposite end and sidewalls, one of said sidewalls having a radially outwardly directed flange terminating in an enlarged bead of a generally circular cross section, said bead being spaced from said one sidewall by said radially outwardly directed flange, a cover constructed from transparent synthetic resinous material, said cover including a pair of opposite end and sidewalls, one of said sidewalls terminating in a free edge overlying said radially outwardly directed flange, a plurality of integrally molded outwardly directed projections carried by said one cover sidewall, said projections being disposed along said bead in spaced relationship to each other, each projection including a channel corresponding in shape to the generally circular cross section of said bead and rotationally receiving said bead for relative pivotal movement of said cover and carton body between open and closed positions, and each projection further including a finger portion projecting inwardly toward said one carton body sidewall beneath said flange and terminating short thereof when said cover is in said closed position thereby limiting the opening movement of said cover to a position at which said finger portion contacts the underside of said flange.
 2. The carton as defined in claim 1 wherein the closed position of said cover is limited by contact between an upper surface of said flange and said free edge of said one carton body sidewall.
 3. The carton body as defined in claim 1 including means defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely adjacent article-receiving pockets in said carton body, and each projection is positioned in transverse alignment with a space between longitudinally adjacent pockets.
 4. The carton body as defined in claim 2 including means defining a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely adjacent article-receiving pockets in said carton body, and each projection is positioned in transverse alignment with a space between longitudinally adjacent pockets. 